LPN-RN, LPN, or BSN? How should I do this?

Kotylynne · Jul 22, 2019

On 7/20/2019 at 3:48 PM, snowgal said:
I have couple questions, questions that you'd probably ask a guidance counselor in high school, but I am not in high school so I come to all of you. I currently live in Colorado and am moving to California either in a couple months or in a year. I am Licensed Medical Aesthetician in Colorado, where I am aloud to perform such things such as laser procedures, micro needling, dermaplaning, etc. I have been planning on go to nursing school either way so that I could further my career in the medical field of being a aesthetician. However, most of everything that I perform in my current practice only RNs can perform in California. So this leaves me at a weird cross roads in how to approach school.
On that I have a couple options and question, I would like to get my RN as soon as possible. All opinions, answers, or other options are welcome
Option 1: I stay in Colorado for one more year and complete my LPN/LVN and then move to California and hopefully find a LVN-ADN program. Then after my ADN I would complete my BSN. As mentioned I would like to get my RN as soon as possible so that I can continue to practice as an aesthetician as I would in Colorado.
Option 2: Move to CA in a couple months and enroll in a 3 year BSN program.
Option 3: Is there another option other than the two I have thought of?
I want to be able to complete my RN sooner than later but I am having a difficult time finding LVN-ADN programs in Southern California (Orange County). I have run across a few '30 credit option' LVN-ADN but I don't quite understand what this is. All together my end goal is to obtain my BSN. I don't know what the best course of action is to take in this situation.
Does anyone know any good LVN-ADN programs in Orange County or surrounding areas?
Is there a nursing school directory?
What is 30 unit LVN-ADN program?
Could doing the LVN-ADN program make it more difficult to get into a RN-BSN program or in to a BSN-MSN program down the road?
Please help me I need help. I am so lost.

So I'm not sure about all of the rules or how it works in California, but what I do know is California is HIGHLY competitive for nursing.

If I had to move there myself I would be completing all of my nursing desires BEFORE hand so I didnt have to deal with the hassles I have read about on here (and elsewhere) when it comes to joining nursing school there. Although, I am not sure how switching licenses works in CA either.

Etak, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2019

1 hour ago, Kotylynne said:
So I'm not sure about all of the rules or how it works in California, but what I do know is California is HIGHLY competitive for nursing.
If I had to move there myself I would be completing all of my nursing desires BEFORE hand so I didnt have to deal with the hassles I have read about on here (and elsewhere) when it comes to joining nursing school there. Although, I am not sure how switching licenses works in CA either.

I second this. Can you get your BSN in CO then move to CA? There’s really no such thing in CA as “move to CA in a couple months and enroll in a 3 year BSN.” I know tone gets lost over text, so please know I’m not being snarky, OP. It’s sincerely difficult and competitive. You’ll need to make nearly perfect grades in all of your prerequisites, take an entrance exam and earn an exceptional score, THEN apply to a BSN. Any state school will only accept you as a student that has expressed interests in nursing. Once you spend 2 years there doing your prerequisites, you’ll have to apply all over again for the actual program. A lot of state BSN programs do not even accept out of state students because of the impaction, or they give priority to local students. And really, it’s just as competitive for any ADN. You might get in easier to a private school, but they will still be competitive and much more expensive.

As someone who has spent the last 3 years slowly and methodically knocking out my prerequisites so I can earn a competitive GPA and actually have a chance getting in somewhere, trust that there’s no easy for fast path to your RN in CA, and no guarantee you’ll get a seat anywhere in your time frame.

If it’s an option, your best bet is to go straight for your BSN in CO then move to CA. Second best option would be to get your ADN then move. LVN to RN is doable but even more time consuming if a BSN is your end goal.

I’ll also note that I don’t know much (or anything) about schools in CO. I haven’t heard of them being impacted like CA is, but you’d know more about that. If they happen to be a competitive and impacted then perhaps it’s a wash. Just know that it’s going to take a lot of time and patience and I would not recommend moving to CA for nursing school without full awareness of what you are up against.

Carpelibrum · Jul 23, 2019

Southern California is brutal. You need to ace your prerequisites and your entrance exam and pray for a spot. The BSN program where I live in Ventura county had 800 apply for 40 spots. As for the LVN 30 unit option you jump into the second semester at the ADN program around here.

mommysunshine · Aug 17, 2019

Hi after reading your post I just wanted to reach out to you and share my experince. I also started off as a Esthetician in 2004 went on and received my Lpn in 2012. Im now currently applying to a Lpn to Rn bridge. As others have said its very competative and you must score high on your entrance exams and prereq. If you can go straight for a Rn with a Bsn I would do that oppose to getting a Lpn license.